Thanksgiving weekend typically brings loads of turkey and pumpkin pie, but it’s also an excuse to enjoy an extra day of fun with the family. For more traditional fun visit one of the city’s harvest festivals, or take a guided walk to enjoy the beautiful fall colours this season brings. Or for a wacky weekend memory, take part in the attempt to blow the biggest bubble gum bubble ever!
Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids
Opens Saturday, October 9th, 10 am – 5 pm, Ontario Science Centre, Special Exhibition Hall Level 6, 770 Don Mills Road, Toronto
For thousands of years, mythical creatures such as dragons, unicorns and mermaids have been embedded in the human experience through legends, fables and ancient art. Learn about these creatures origins, cultural importance, and the evolution of scientific understanding about the natural world: www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
NBA Jam Session
Saturday, October 9th, 10 am – 5 pm, Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto
B-ball fans of all ages will love this interactive basketball festival, with the chance to meet NBA Legend Charles Oakley, watch Buckets Blakes of the Harlem Globetrotters perform, and learn dance moves from the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak, plus much more: www.nba.com/jamsession
HarbourKIDS: Harvest
Saturday, October 9th – Monday, October 11th, 11 am – 5 pm, Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queen’s Quay West, Toronto
To celebrate the season of harvest and Thanksgiving, kids can create their own musical instruments, make jack o’lantern buttons, and enjoy storytelling, live music, and potato sack races, plus so much more. HarbourKIDS is for kids from five to 12: www.harbourfrontcentre.com/harbourkids
At Home For The Harvest: Gibson House
Saturday, October 9th – Monday, October 11th, 12 pm – 5 pm, Gibson House, 5172 Yonge Street, Toronto
Visit this Thanksgiving weekend for a celebration of the harvest! Spend time in the busy historic kitchen of the Gibson family farm home and see the harvest foods being prepared for tasting. Kids can help lend a hand in the kitchen, dress-up in the Discovery Gallery and enjoy hands-on activities: www.toronto.ca
First Annual Bazooka Bubble Gum Blow-Off!
Saturday, October 9th, 1 pm, Eaton Centre, 220 Yonge Street, Toronto
Get ready to blow your biggest, most chew-riffic bubble! In honor of the re-launch of the iconic Bazooka Bubble Gum in Canada, Bazooka Candy Brands will be hosting the First Annual Bazooka Bubble Gum Blow-Off at the Eaton Centre. Contestants ages 5 to 100, of all skill levels, are invited to come and try to blow the biggest bubble ever. There will be giveaways, music, and much more: www.torontoeatoncentre.com
Jay Ingram Book Signing
Saturday, October 2nd, 2 pm, Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Road, Toronto
Come meet Jay Ingram, host of Daily Planet and author of new book, Daily Planet: The Ultimate Book of Everyday Science. Bring the family to enjoy the Science Centre exhibits, and for the chance to meet the man behind the science: www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
KidSpark Dragons
Saturday, October 9th, 2 pm, Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Road, Toronto
Dragons are great mythical creatures. Learn about their history, stories and why these creatures are beloved by children around the world. For ages three to eight: www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
KidSpark Story Time
Sunday, October 10th, 2 pm, Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Road, Toronto
Enter a world of imagination and wonder as our storytellers bring tales from around the world to life. For kids from two to seven: www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
KidSpark Backyard Birdwatching
Monday, October 11th, 2 pm, Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Road, Toronto
Did you know that KidSpark has a great view of woodlands and wetlands? Bring the family to experience the art of bird watching while learning all about the animals that live in and around our backyard wetlands. For ages three to eight: www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
Movie Night – High Park Family Fun Place
Friday, October 8th, 7 pm – 9 pm, 2968 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Bring the family for a showing of Barnyard: The Original Party Animals! Movie is free with playground admission: www.hpfamilyfunplace.ca
Sharks at Stingray Bay: Final Weekend!
Saturday, October 9th – Monday, October 11th, 9:30 am – 5 pm, Toronto Zoo, 361A Old Finch Avenue, Scarborough
This is the last weekend to get up close and personal with the sharks and stingrays at the Zoo! Visitors have the opportunity to humanely and safely interact with these incredible creatures and learn all about them with special keeper talks: www.torontozoo.com
The Return Of Sgt. Woof!
Saturday, October 9th, 12 pm – 5 pm, Sunday, October 10th, 11 am – 3 pm, Monday, October 11th, 11 am – 4 pm, PawsWay Pet Discovery Centre, 245 Queens Quay, Toronto
Back by popular demand! Sgt. Woof & the Woof Troop will host a fun filled program with demonstrations of some of today’s most popular canine sports including Obedience, Agility, Free Style Dance & Frisbee: www.pawsway.ca
Farther Afield:
Springridge Farm Harvest Festival
Every weekend in October, including Thanksgiving Monday (October 11th), Springridge Farm, 7256 Bell School Line, Milton
It’s Harvest time at the farm! The whole family can have piles of fun and enjoy wagon rides, a five-acre corn trail, face painting, ‘The Great Pumpkin Mix-up’ professional puppet show, the BOO BARN, and the Fun Farm Yard with a new pipe slide and spider web climber: www.springridge.com
Fall Colours Weekend
Saturday, October 9th – Monday, October 11th, 10 am – 4 pm, Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Woodbridge
There’s lots to enjoy this holiday weekend, including guided fall colour walks, hot soup and pie in the valley, live birds of prey and bird banding demonstrations, self-guided activities, and more: www.kortright.org
Woodbridge Fair
Saturday, October 9th – Monday, October 11th, 9 am – 4 pm, Woodbridge Fairgrounds, 100 Porter Street, Vaughan
Haven’t had your fill of fall fairs this season? Everyone can enjoy more fair fun, including a cow milking contest, DOO DOO The Clown, live music and dancing, puppet shows, a demolition derby, petting zoo, and pumpkin decorating: www.woodbridgefair.com
Indian Music & Dance Workshop
Monday, October 11th, 11 am – 2 pm, Swar Sadhana Music School, 35 Stoneton Drive, Scarborough
Swar Sadhana, a school of Indian Music and Dance now open in the GTA, is offering families a unique parent-child workshop for everyone to explore traditional music and dance: www.swarsadhana.ca
Want to help us make this weekend guide even more bursting with fun? Just email us your family-friendly happenings, festivals, fairs and workshops in the Greater Toronto area.
And we wanted to remind you to always call or visit the website for event info before you head out just in case any changes have been made since we posted it. And of course, have fun!